The Writing on the Wall
by boswifedeb
Summary: After a spike in the murder rate in the Hispanic community, Houston is called in to help find the source – and ends up finding a lot more than he expected. **Immediately follows "Dead in the Water"** Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

**"THE WRITING ON THE WALL"**

****Immediately follows "Dead in the Water"**

**"You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."**

**Mark Twain**

**CHAPTER 1**

"Would you just look at this mess?!" Lt. Michael Hoyt of the LAPD stood with his arms crossed looking at the wall of a building that had been tagged overnight. Turning to look at his friend, he pointed at the writing and the images that now covered the wall. "I swear I don't understand why they do this."

Private investigator Matt Houston raised up the LAPD ball cap on top of his head and scratched before settling the cap back into place as he yawned. He had been called out of his bed at 1:00AM by Hoyt who needed help with the murder of a young Hispanic mother and her infant daughter. As soon as the Chief of Police had been informed of the murder the night before, he had called Hoyt in to take control of the investigation from Det. John Oxford and told the lieutenant to call in Houston. Matt suspected that the chief's concern wasn't so much for the victims as it was about the bad press that was sure to come from the media. There had been a spike in the murder rate in the Hispanic community in the last several weeks and Chief Whittaker was taking a beating in each edition of the newspapers as well as on television. It was even being reported on the national news.

"It's actually some good artwork, Michael." Matt was looking at the detail in not only the rose that the tagger had painted on the wall but the dagger that was also there. "Look at the shading and the detail. Pretty amazing when you stop and think about it. They did all this with spray paint."

Hoyt turned to fully face the PI that he now considered a brother. "I'm sooooo glad that you like the artist's style. How would you feel if this was on the side of the Houston Industries Building?"

"It wouldn't be my problem – it would be Murray's – remember?" Matt grinned, knowing that his answer and expression would aggravate the cop. A few years earlier Matt had turned over all control of Houston Industries to Murray Chase and directed that all profits from the multi-million-dollar conglomerate go to charity. The now-billionaire concentrated solely on his work as a private investigator with two exceptions: he worked with Derwin Dunlap on surveillance equipment and video games, and was the owner of two cattle ranches.

With his eyes snapping as much as his voice, Michael replied. "You'd hate to be a smart ass."

"Better than a dumb one any day." The PI smiled at the cop and they walked toward their vehicles. "How about we go grab some breakfast and go over what we've got?" He clapped Hoyt on the back.

"Yeah, I could go for that. Waffle Hut?"

"Alright. See you there." Matt pulled out his phone as he got in the truck and started to call CJ but then thought better of it. He didn't want to wake her if she was asleep. Grinning as he dropped the truck into gear, Matt thought back to New Year's Eve about an hour and a half into the new year when he and CJ had made love. She told him she was ready to try for another baby and it looked like they were about to get some news. She was a week late and had been battling morning sickness for the last five days.

Their daughter Catey Rose was now nine months old and quite a personality already. She loved to laugh and did so quite often while playing with Matt and CJ as well as her nanny, Sheila Wentworth. One of her favorite companions was Chantilly, affectionately known as Tilly. The half Blue Heeler /half Husky mix was not only a great playmate for Catey but also a great protector. She had started out as Sheila's puppy, but when the former nurse had taken the job of nanny after the murder of her Marine husband, Tilly had adopted everyone on the Houston ranch as hers. Any stranger that came on the property wasn't trusted unless Matt, Sheila, or CJ told the loyal dog that it was okay. She was also good at herding the cows, for which Matt and his two ranch hands Lamar Pettybone and Bo Harper were grateful.

The PI pulled into the parking lot of the Waffle Hut right behind Hoyt and slid down out of his truck, stretching as he closed the door and stepped up onto the sidewalk. They found a booth at the far corner of the restaurant and had a seat.

After the waitress came, set two cups of coffee in front of them, and took their orders, Michael looked across at Matt who was staring out the window. "I would offer a penny for your thoughts but with you being a billionaire…" The cop grinned as he waited for a response and was surprised when he didn't get one. He watched the private eye. The last time Matt had been so distracted was when he was secretly working to take down a Middle-Eastern terrorist. "Oh my God, not again."

That pulled Matt out of his near-trance. "Huh?" He turned and looked at Michael.

The cop leaned forward and whispered. "You're not going after another terrorist are you?"

"No. Why?" Matt looked completely surprised by the question.

"Because your head is in outer space or something. You didn't hear a word I said."

"Oh, sorry. What was it?" Houston picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip before looking back up at the cop.

"Is everything okay? No problems with CJ or anything?" Michael knew something had his friend thinking about things other than the case they were now on.

"Fine. No problems." Matt gave him a big grin. "Now what about the case?"

Hoyt blew out a breath and shook his head. "I swear you're going to drive me completely insane one of these days."

"Nah, it's a short walk and I just know that you want to be environmentally responsible, doncha?" He gave Hoyt a big smile. "Okay, now down to business." Matt pulled his notebook out of his pocket and slipped out of the brown leather bomber jacket that had been a Christmas present from CJ. "We've got Alicia Torres-Vicente, a twenty three year old mother and her four month old baby Elena." He shook his head, clearly saddened.

That's what was bothering him. Michael had hated to call Matt in to a scene with a baby as one of the victims. As the father of a nine month old it hit the PI pretty hard.

"Okay, the father of the baby is Marco Albion, also 23. He's currently locked up in Lancaster for dealing dope." Matt continued. "No arrest record on Alicia. Both sets of grandparents are dead and her only living relatives are a brother, aunt, and uncle. So far we haven't been able to reach any of them." Putting the notebook down on the table, the PI sighed and took off the ball cap setting it on the seat next to him. He ran his right hand over his beard. "I don't know how many doors I've knocked on in the last few hours…but I didn't get a single piece of information from anybody."

"I didn't either." Hoyt took a sip of coffee. "Somebody knows something or heard something."

"But they won't talk. I don't know if it's because of hate or fear." Matt rubbed his eyes. He picked up his pen and began doodling in the margins of the notes that he had taken and thought back to the graffiti on the wall. Subconsciously he started drawing a rose like the one the tagger had left behind. As he started to shade the petals he stopped.

Michael looked at the notebook and then his friend. "What?"

"They were stabbed." Matt stared at the picture.

"Yeah…so?"

"There was a dagger – a knife on the wall…and it was dripping blood."

"Oh, that's just some kid's way of thumbing his nose at the world by messing up someone else's property."

"Wait now – hear me out." The waitress brought their orders over. Matt thanked her and put more pepper on his eggs. "It wasn't just the knife - there were also two roses."

"One rose wasn't' it?" Michael spoke around a bite of pancake.

"A blooming rose and a bud. Do you get it? A woman in the prime of life and a baby girl…the bud could represent the baby." He looked across at the cop.

"It's just spray paint on a wall." Hoyt shook his head no.

"I think it's more than that." Houston dug into his hash browns. Both men continued eating, Matt glancing at his watch. It was now almost 8:00AM.

Hoyt noticed his friend checking the time. "Do you have an appointment with a client?"

"No, just curious." The PI had actually been wondering how CJ was doing. She had made a mad dash to the bathroom and vomited right before he left the house when Michael called him. They had agreed not to mention the possibility that she might be pregnant to anyone until they knew for sure. CJ was going to try to get an appointment with Carol LeMaster, her sorority sister from Harvard, and now the personal physician to both her and Matt. "I might have one later, though." He took another bite of his eggs as his phone rang. The phone was quickly out of his pocket and answered. "Hey Babe. How's it going?"

Michael glanced up. He noticed a change in the tone of Matt's voice. There was worry in it.

"Uh huh. You did? Good…okay, do you…" He listened. "Are you sure? I can…okay then, I'll meet you at 9:00. Call me if you change your mind. Love you. 'Bye."

"Is everything okay?" Hoyt took another sip of coffee.

"Yeah, sure…fine." Matt dug back into the food in front of him. Although he was looking at the plate, Hoyt felt sure that his friend wasn't really seeing the food on it. "I really think there's something going on with the tagging." The PI swallowed a bite of sausage and drank down more coffee. "When we get done here I want to swing by your office and get a list of the murders in that area in the last month and where they took place."

Shrugging, Michael nodded as he swallowed more of the pancakes. "Okay…then what?"

"Then I'm going to an appointment at 9:00. When I'm done there…" Matt paused for a minute. "If it's where I can, I'll go look around the neighborhood at the graffiti near the other crime scenes."

"Houston, are you sure everything is okay?"

Matt took another drink of coffee and looked at the cup for a minute, smiling. "I believe everything is going to be just fine, Michael." He tossed some money down on the table, picked up his cap, and slid out of the booth, putting on the jacket. The cop followed and they headed out the door. "See ya in a few."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

After getting the information from Michael's office, Matt swung by the clinic that was run by Carol LeMaster and was waiting on the tailgate of his truck when CJ pulled in, looking quite pale. He got up and opened the door of the Navigator for her. "Hey…" She wrapped an arm around him and gave him a hug.

"You know, I don't remember this much morning sickness with Catey." CJ gave him a smile.

"I'm sorry, Babe." Matt felt really bad for her.

"Hush, you don't have anything to be sorry about. And technically we don't know for sure yet."

"You don't, but I do." He wrapped his arms around her. "Remember what I told you about my dream?"

"Yeah I do." She gave him a hug and they walked into the clinic, his arm still wrapped around her. After checking in and then waiting a few minutes, the nurse stood at the doorway and called CJ back and Matt went with her. As they headed down the hallway hand in hand Matt felt just a little bit nervous. He cut his eyes over at her. No matter how cool she tried to be he could tell; she was nervous, too.

After taking down CJ's vital signs, drawing blood and getting a urine sample, the nurse handed her a gown. "Carol should be about five minutes." She left the pair who exchanged a nervous smile.

"I'm glad you're here this time." CJ began undressing and Matt helped her into the gown and stood next to the exam table with his arm around her and holding her hand.

"I am, too. Sorry about last time." Matt had been on a plane to Little Creek, VA to meet up with a team of Navy SEAL's when CJ had learned for certain that she was pregnant with Catey.

"It was for a good cause." She rested her head on Matt's chest and jumped when Carol came through the door.

"There's my sis." She gave CJ a big hug and then Matt. "So…" She looked at the pair and laughed. "You look just a little bit guilty my friend." Carol put a hand on Matt's shoulder. He just grinned and looked down. "Alright CJ, you know what to do."

Matt stood right by his wife's side, holding her hand in both of his. No one spoke for a couple of minutes while the doctor examined CJ, and then Carol stood up and stripped off her gloves. "Okay, you can sit back up now." She continued to write on CJ's chart as the couple exchanged impatient looks. "So what I want to know is…" Carol turned back around to the pair beaming, "do you already have a name picked out? Congratulations!"

The couple both let out a whoop and the doctor started laughing. "Now that's what I like to hear." She watched as the pair kissed and Matt pulled CJ in close, tilting his head down on top of hers.

Pulling back from her he looked into his wife's eyes. "I love you so much, Babe." He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.

"I love you, too – Daddy." She beamed. "Now, if we can just get rid of the morning sickness I'll feel a lot better about this whole thing." All three laughed.

"So what's the due date?" Matt looked over at Carol.

"According to my calculations you two really rang in the New Year." They all laughed. "September 24th should be it."

The couple hugged again, Matt looking down at his wife with a crooked grin. "I told you this was going to be a very interesting year for us."

"Now tell Carol your prediction." CJ squeezed his hand.

"So just because you guessed that the last one was a girl you think you know what this one will be?" Carol laughed.

"It's just a feeling." Matt looked back at his wife and brushed a strand of hair back. "It's going to be twin boys."

The doctor laughed and then noticed that Matt and CJ were absolutely serious. "There's no way you could possibly know that, Houston. Come on."

"I believe him, Carol." She reached up and stroked his face and the pair kissed again, the doctor standing there in shock.

After walking CJ back to her car and watching her head off in the direction of the office, Matt gave a fist pump and slid into his truck. He took a deep breath and smiled, then decided it was time to get some work done. He decided to head back to the location of the graffiti that morning and as he snapped a picture of it, he noticed for the first time that down in the bottom left corner there were two very small pictures: a nine ball and a devil. He snapped another shot of the last two items.

Looking down the list, the previous murder had been about four days before and had happened about six blocks east of his present location. He loaded up and headed that way. There was still a spot on the sidewalk where a slight rust-colored ring could be seen – the remnants of a life ended much too soon. The young man who had been killed there was fifteen years old. Matt searched the area, feeling eyes follow his every move from the windows overlooking the sidewalk. He walked for a block headed east looking at the sides of buildings as he went for any graffiti that seemed to apply to the case, but didn't spot anything. He turned and headed back to where he had come from before walking almost another block. There on the side wall of a building was another picture that looked fairly recent. It showed a pistol, football, and a tiger as well as a nine ball and devil, just like the last one. The private eye took more pictures.

The next stop on his list was about eight blocks west. Two young women, sisters, had been killed out in the middle of the street. Matt began his walk looking for graffiti and didn't have to go far. On the corner opposite the murder scene there on the wall of the bodega was another picture. Once again, the nine ball and devil were in the lower left corner. The main items in the picture were two koi and a pistol. Matt took pictures and then went back to his truck. He looked up when he saw a sudden flash of lightning, a loud clap of thunder sounded and the heavens opened up. The private eye started the truck and pulled away from the curb headed for his office.

As he stepped off of the elevator Matt looked up to see Chris Chase struggling to reach the top shelf where a package of paper was stored. "Un uh, hold it right there." He walked over and pulled down the box of paper, setting it on the desk. Removing the top, he handed the secretary a pack out of the box and then turned to look at the shelves. "What's on the bottom shelf that you use the least, Chris?"

"Uh, well…" She looked. "Actually I use a lot of what's down there."

"Well, the paper is going to be down there too from now on. You don't need to be stretching and trying to lift something like that, hear me?" He gave the secretary, who was now almost three months pregnant, a serious look.

"Okay." She took the paper and filled the printer and put the excess in the bottom left drawer of the desk as Matt rearranged the items on the shelf.

"Will that work?" He stood up and slid off his jacket.

"That's great, boss – thanks." The secretary gave him a big smile.

Matt reached over and gave her a little hug. "Gotta take care of my girls here ya know." He winked at her and headed on into the office whistling along the way. After hanging his jacket on the back of one of the chairs at the poker table, he headed for the coffee pot and filled up a cup before going into CJ's office. "Hard at work I see." He leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek, then turned her head up and gave her another more involved kiss.

"Well one of us has to get something done." She grinned. "So what have you boys been up to?"

"Let me make a phone call to Michael real quick and I'll show you. I'd like your input on it." He went back out to the outer office and pulled up BABY, turning the computer on as CJ sat down on the couch next to him. "Hey bud, can you send the files on Cristobal De la Fuente, and Hua and Ping Santiago?" There was a pause. "Yeah, I'm at the office. Alright, I'll let you know. 'Bye." He hung up and wrapped an arm around his wife as he whispered, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. As soon as the morning upchucks go away I'll be great." She gave him a big smile. "I am so excited I don't know what to do!"

Matt laughed and then got serious. "I think we need to keep this under wraps for a little longer, how about you?"

"Yeah, but I can't wait. Can't you imagine how happy Mama is going to be?" Vince Novelli's mother, Rosa was like a mother to both Matt and CJ. She had been so happy when they announced their first pregnancy and was bound to be just as excited again.

"I can't either. This is gonna be hard to keep quiet."

He pulled out his phone and brought up the pictures that he had shot. "Anyway, back to the case. These…," Matt scrolled through the pictures, "…were found near the scenes of the last three murders."

"Not to be negative here, hon, but there is a lot of graffiti out there. How do you know it's even related?"

"It makes sense, CJ. Look here." He pulled up the picture from the most recent murder. "Now the victims were a young mother and her four month old daughter who were stabbed." He pointed to the rose and bud and then the dagger. "A young woman in her prime and a baby…stabbed."

"It could just be a coincidence. You don't even know when that was done."

"Yes I do – last night. When Michael came past there on his way there wasn't anything on the wall. When we were leaving this morning it was there. It was just around the corner from where they were murdered. The paint was still slightly tacky."

The PI went to the next picture. "This one was near the scene of a murder that happened four days ago. The victim was a fifteen year old boy who was shot. That's all I know about his case so far. And this…" He scrolled to the next one, "…was found on the corner opposite of the scene where two young sisters were killed. Shot to be exact."

Leaning forward, Matt checked his email. "Here we go." He tapped a couple of keys and pulled up the file on Cristobal De la Fuente. "Fifteen years old, played running back for Obispo High School." Pulling up a web browser he typed in the name of the school. "That's what I thought – they're the Tigers." Looking back over at his wife, he leaned back on the couch.

"That's...odd. Okay, maybe you're on to something, but it could still be a coincidence."

Matt punched a couple of keys and opened the file on the Santiago sisters. "Hua and Ping Santiago. Their mom is Chinese, dad was Hispanic. The two fish could represent them and they were shot."

"The pistol again...hum." CJ nodded and ran her hand over Matt's shoulders. "That is starting to sound kind of like a message. But what does it mean?"

"It could be someone taking credit for it..." The PI got up and refilled his coffee cup and made his wife a cup of peppermint tea before walking back over to the couch, stepping over the back of it as was his custom, before handing the mug of tea to his wife. He sat down. "Or maybe they're trying to tell us who did it." Matt started to take a sip of coffee and stopped mid-way.

"What?"

"I think I need to go talk to Lorenzo Adolfo." Standing up, he turned and kissed her. "He's not involved in the gangs anymore but he might be able to shed a little light on the nine ball and the devil." Matt headed down to the elevator. "Love ya, Babe."

"You too. Be careful." CJ sat and looked at the screen. Mimicking her husband's Texas drawl, she spoke. "Babe, see what you can find out about the Santiagos and De la Fuente."

The PI had just walked back into the room for his jacket. "I heard that." CJ's head spun around and the shock on her face started him laughing. "Good idea." He winked at her and went back down the three steps to the lobby, chuckling.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Matt pulled into the parking lot of the diner on Olympic and looked around as he shut off the engine. Lorenzo Adolfo had been the leader of a gang up until a few months ago when he decided that he wanted to go straight. He and his wife had planned to clean up the little restaurant and turn it into a 50's-type diner. Sadly, she had been killed by a member of Adolfo's own gang in an effort to prove his loyalty to the leader of another gang that was planning a takeover of the turf. But Lorenzo had kept his promise to her and had done exactly what he set out to do. The red, black, white, and chrome color scheme had come to life and Adolfo had named the restaurant _Maureen's _after his wife. The parking lot was almost full and business appeared to be good.

As he slid out of the truck and walked across the parking lot, Matt looked up at the sign and grinned. He had taken care of that expense for Adolfo, bought a classic 1950's jukebox for the place, and sent an envelope by courier containing $50,000 to the man right before Christmas. When he opened the door, he heard "Shake, Rattle, & Roll" by Bill Haley and the Comets coming from the jukebox and the hum of countless conversations as well as laughter.

"Hey, _varón_! Come on in!" Lorenzo came out from behind the kitchen counter and shook Matt's hand. "Lissa, bring a pot of coffee out for us, would you?" One of the waitresses nodded and the man pointed Matt to the booth at the back of the dining room. "So how's it going?"

"Good. Looks like you're doing a booming business." Matt looked around.

"It's a lot of work, but it's honest work." He paused as the waitress brought two mugs and a pot of coffee to the table. After she left, the former gang leader leaned forward and whispered. "Whatever you need you got, man. I owe you big time."

"Nah, you've helped me out, too, remember?" He took a sip of the coffee. "I do need a little information if you have it – and it won't put you in a bind."

"What is it?"

Matt pulled out his phone and pulled up the picture of the graffiti from the latest murder scene. "Did you hear about the mother and her four month old that got killed?" Adolfo nodded. "Well, this was done right around the corner from it – right after the murder." He handed the phone over.

"_Dios mio._ The rose and the bud…"

"Mother and daughter is how I read it – and they were stabbed."

"The knife." He nodded. "You know a lot of people think that it's all just scribbles. Some of it is, but some of it really makes a statement." Pointing to the phone he said, "That's a statement."

Matt pulled up a close up of the devil and nine ball in the lower left corner. "This has been on all three that I've looked at so far today. What I'm wondering is this: is it a signature or a clue as to who is doing it?" He handed the phone back over and the look on Adolfo's face spoke volumes.

"I don't know if this is them taking credit for it, but I can tell you who uses those." He looked around the dining room. "Let's go back to the office."

Houston slid out of the booth and followed along behind him through the kitchen and back to the office. Once inside he sat down in the chair that Lorenzo offered him. "Those are the _asnos_ that have taken over part of the territory down here. They use the nine ball - it stands for State Route 72."

"Whittier Boulevard. I should have figured that out. So I guess they call themselves _Los Diablos_?"

"That's it. As far as taking credit – it could be, but I doubt it. They're a bunch of _cobardes_ – cowards." He laughed. "Why the hell am I translating for you?" He knew Matt was fluent in Spanish. "Seriously though, I don't think they would advertise the fact that they did it…most folks around here already know who is responsible for the violence these days. They don't care who they hurt." Looking over at a picture of his late wife, the former gang leader gave a sad smile. "There was a time when I didn't care much either, but I never killed an innocent baby or young mother. I was only after my competition – and they sure as hell weren't it."

"You've come a long way, Lorenzo. And you're doing good things around here." They both got quiet for a moment. "So it looks like things are going pretty good for you – do you need anything?"

"Are you kidding me? After you played _Papá Noel_?" The large man laughed. "I used part of that to help out the church. Father Margosa has helped me a lot – dealing with anger and losing Maureen. I figured it was the least I could do. I want to thank you again, Houston."

"Nah, I didn't do anything." He stood up. "If you could kinda keep an ear out for me and pass along anything interesting I would sure appreciate it."

"You know I will." Lorenzo stood and followed Matt out of the office. "Hey, how're your pretty _chicas _doing?"

Matt stopped in the kitchen and pulled out his phone and brought up a picture of CJ, Catey, Sheila, and Tilly from Christmas. All of them had bows stuck all over their heads. "See for yourself."

Lorenzo laughed. "Who's the new lady?"

"That's Sheila – our nanny. Tilly was her pup – now we all belong to her." He grinned as he put the phone back in his pocket. "Thanks again, _amigo._ You call me if you need anything, okay?"

"I'm good, _hermano._ You be careful out there and watch your back_, sí_?

"_Sí mi amigo, como siempre. __Hasta luego._" He waved back at the restaurateur as he went past the counter and out the front door.

Sliding behind the wheel of his truck Matt pulled out the list that Hoyt had given him earlier. Working backwards from the most recent to the earliest, he saw that the next scene was about five blocks away. He started the truck and dropped it into gear, not noticing a young Hispanic man watching him intently from the doorway of a thrift store across the street. After the PI left, the young man turned onto the sidewalk headed in the opposite direction, his hood pulled up over his head and a backpack thrown over his left shoulder.

Matt parked the truck in the vacant lot where the murder of Óscar Guadarrama had occurred the week before. He got out of the truck, zipping up the leather jacket. After a warmer than normal fall, winter had more of a chill to it than the private investigator could remember since coming to LA several years ago. He pulled up the collar of his jacket and walked over where the tatters of yellow crime scene tape flapped in the wind, drawing attention to the spot where yet another life had ended in bloodshed. There was the faint rusty outline where the blood had pooled after the victim's death. Matt didn't know yet how the man had died: he had told Hoyt to leave that off of the list so that he wouldn't pre-judge the graffiti that he expected to find.

Heading north from the parking lot, he started looking to see if their tagger had left anything behind. After searching for four blocks, he crossed the street and headed back on the other side, not finding what he was looking for. As he headed on down the block he glanced over where his truck was parked as two young men were circling the vehicle. "Oh, boy." He cut back across the street and approached behind the two, one of them reaching into the front pocket of his hoodie. "How's it goin', fellas?" Matt decided to try a genial approach. Both of the young men turned, the taller of the two with a switch blade knife in his hand.

Matt slid his right hand into the pocket on his jacket as his left hand slipped underneath the back of his jacket for the Glock that was resting in the small of his back.

"This your truck?" The shorter of the two jerked his head in the direction of it.

"Yep, sure is." Matt had the pistol in his hand as he quickly glanced around.

"Nice truck. Bet it cost a lot of money. Since you got so much money – give it to us." The tall one pushed the button on the knife and the blade extended with a loud _*SNICK*._

Both of the boys were watching Matt's right hand which was exactly what he had been counting on. He extended his left with the Glock in it, the safety disengaged. The shock on their faces would have been funny if it wasn't such a serious situation. Matt's voice took on the low gravelly tone. "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight, son." Neither boy moved. "Drop it." As the boy looked to his friend, the PI repeated the order and the knife clattered to the ground. "Kick it over here." The boy did, all the while giving Matt an angry look. "How old are you?" Neither answered. The voice dropped even lower. "I don't like repeating myself, boys."

"Sixteen." Both replied at the same time.

"You're supposed to be in school right now. Why aren't you?" Matt knelt down and recovered the knife with his right hand.

"_Hijo de perra."_

_"Cuida tu boca, hijo."_ Matt took the knife and broke the blade from the handle one-handed, causing both of the teens to swallow hard. "Get your butts home. And I better not see you out here tomorrow when school is in session._ ¿Vosotros entienden__?_" They both nodded. "Go." He watched as they took off running back to the east, disappearing quickly. Matt dropped what was left of the knife down in the sewer and unlocked his truck, removing the holster from the console and strapping it on, cursing the fact that he was having to do it. It didn't help to have a gun on your hip while trying to get information from someone who was already scared.

He headed back down the street the way he had been going before his encounter with the two teens. As he headed back up towards the lot thinking that he was out of luck there it was: the side of a vacant hardware store bore the images of the nine ball and devil. There was also a picture of a knife along with a mop and broom crossed at the handles. Matt snapped pictures of the images just as another shower started. He jogged back to the truck and got inside checking the clock on the dashboard as he started the engine. It was 11:37. Pulling out onto the street, he pressed the number for the office on speed dial.

"Hi there. Is CJ still around there?"

"She sure is, boss. Hang on." Chris put him on hold and let CJ know that he was waiting.

"Hi, how's it going?"

"Not as quietly as I had hoped. Are you hungry?"

"Starved."

"What are you in the mood for?" Matt grinned, thinking back to when she had been expecting Catey Rose.

"Fried chicken sounds really good right now."

"Okay, do you want to call Sabrina's? I can pick it up on my way back."

"Good. What do you want?"

"Whatever my beautiful pregnant wife wants." He was smiling. "What about Chris?"

"I'll see if she wants to join us. See you in little bit. Love you."

"Love you – sexy Lil Mama." He hung up as he heard the laughter on the other end of the line.

As Matt rode up to the office in the elevator, his mind drifted back to the two boys he had encountered earlier. Neither one really struck him as being a killer, no matter the attitude that they had attempted. He wondered what the story was there. When the doors opened, he walked on into the office to find CJ and Chris looking at baby gear on the computer. "Aha! Caught ya lookin' at baby stuff on BABY."

"Guilty." Chris stood up and she and CJ came over the back of the couch. "So does your prediction still stand?"

"Yep. It's a girl I'm telling you." Matt, after being cajoled into it by Chris had predicted that her and Murray's baby was going to be a girl.

"Murray's a little bit upset with you. He was hoping for a boy." She sat down and Matt scooted her chair up for her before doing the same for CJ.

"Nope, that's his doing. I'm only responsible for mine." The three chuckled, and as Chris looked down to remove the cover from her plate, Matt and CJ exchanged a wink and a knowing smile.

After lunch, Matt spent the rest of the afternoon scouring the areas around the list of crime scenes that he had gotten from Hoyt. After talking to the business owners where it was obvious that the wall had been freshly repainted, he learned what had been tagged on them, when it had appeared, and when it was painted over. At another stop, two of the owners were standing in the parking lot of a grocery when Matt pulled in and wouldn't talk to him until Lorenzo Adolfo had shown up to go shopping. He vouched for Matt and the two men told the PI everything they knew about the people who had been murdered and the graffiti.

"Bud, I appreciate the help." Matt tucked his notebook back into his pocket as he and Lorenzo walked toward the truck.

"If you run across anyone else like that, let me know. I've tried to put in a good word for you wherever I can." The two shook hands. "See you later."

Matt got into the truck and started it, looking at the notes he had taken and the list. As he unzipped the jacket and took it off, he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. Not wanting to give away the fact that he had seen the young man, Matt picked up the notebook again and pretended to be looking at it. There huddled in the doorway of a tobacco store was what appeared to be a young man in a charcoal gray hoodie. As Matt continued to watch him, the guy swung a backpack up onto his shoulder and headed off down the street, occasionally looking back over his shoulder at the truck. When he went around the next corner, Matt dropped the truck into gear and headed in the same direction. Making the turn, he spied the guy and followed along slowly until the man turned and saw him. He quickly ran into an alley. Matt pulled over and got out of the truck, chasing him. "I just want to talk to you!" The man kept running. Matt repeated the phrase in Spanish. _"¡Sólo quiero hablar contigo!"_

Jumping on top of a dumpster like a cat, the young man ran across it and leapt onto a brick wall and went over. Matt followed suit, but when he gained the top of the wall, the man was nowhere in sight.  
"Damn it!" He hit his leg with the ball cap he had been wearing before slowly turning around making his way back down to the ground and heading back to the truck.

Matt parked his truck in the driveway at the ranch in a downpour. As he ran to the kitchen door it was opened by CJ. "And they say it never rains in California." She gave him a kiss and he closed the door behind him.

"Daddy!" Catey Rose was wearing a large part of her supper. Spaghetti sauce was on her face and chest.

"Hey there, Lady Bug." Matt kissed the top of his daughter's head – the only spot that didn't appear to be covered with sauce. "You sure do love your spaghetti, don'tcha kiddo?"

"Sketti." Catey picked up a noodle and slurped it down."

"So you've got another word now. Good."

Sheila smiled as she watched the pair and then looked down to see that Matt was still wearing his holster. "Uh oh – it's been one of THOSE days, has it?"

"Kinda." Matt took off the piece of equipment and changed the subject. "Something smells good in here."

"Mama's lasagna – she sent it yesterday." Mama Novelli had discovered how handy overnight shipping was as well as freezer packs. "She doesn't want us to starve."

"Good. How much longer?"

"Twenty minutes give or take."

"Alright, it looks like the sketti queen is about due for a bath." He stripped off the white shirt he was wearing, handing it to his wife, and picked up his daughter.

"Sketti, Daddy."

"Yep, sketti. C'mon, let's get you cleaned up and you can tell me all about it." The pair took off through the house jabbering back and forth as always as CJ and Sheila exchanged a smile.

"He is a good dad, no doubt about it." The nanny began cleaning up Catey's sauce-covered high chair as CJ finished the salad that she had been working on.

Later on that night, Matt was reading through his Hazardous Materials Chemistry book for class. He had aced his class the previous semester. Although he had taken Chemistry in high school it wasn't something that he had really been interested in at the time and he had very little memory of it; this class, on the other hand, was far more exciting – not to mention the fact that it could save his life. He was so engrossed in what he was reading he didn't hear CJ come to the kitchen door and talk to him. Thinking that he might have dozed off, she walked into the kitchen and gently put a hand on his shoulder. He jumped. "Hey."

"I thought maybe you were asleep, you didn't answer me."

"Sorry. What was it?"

"I just asked if you were ready to go to bed." She reached out and ran her hand down his back. "It's almost midnight."

Matt looked up at the clock on the wall. "Whoa…how did that happen?" He marked his place in the book and put it into the case with his computer. Standing up, he stretched and then put an arm around her, pulling her close. "Sorry – lost track of the time." He kissed her cheek and hugged her.

"So how's the Chemistry going? I remember you hated it in high school." She reached up and ran her hand along the beard on his jaw.

"It's a lot more interesting than it was back then. Of course I had other things on my mind back then that seemed more important." He grinned down at her.

"Uh huh…like football, Sherry, baseball, and Patty, and what was that blonde's name?"

"Don't know, don't care. I've got the sexiest, most beautiful lady right here – and if I hadn't had my head up my butt back then and had the guts to admit it, I might have had her in my arms sooner. And we might have a bus load of kids running around by now."

"We seem to be getting closer to that bus load." She grinned and then suddenly went pale.

"You okay?" Matt held onto her tighter.

"Yeah…" She closed her eyes as he reached over and pulled out a chair.

"Sit down, Babe." Matt eased her into the chair. "What's going on?"

"Just… I don't know. I'm kind of dizzy and…" She swayed slightly.

"Can you put your arms around my neck?" Matt was trying to stay calm but his heart felt like it was going to jump out of his chest.

"Yeah…" She did, and he picked her up, carrying her into the den and putting her on the couch. "Stay here, okay?" She nodded and Matt went to the door of Sheila's room and knocked.

"Come in." The nanny was sitting up on the bed reading.

"Can you come take a look at CJ, please?"

"Sure, what's going on?" She followed him into the den.

"Well uh…" He and CJ exchanged a look.

"I'm pregnant. I just got a little dizzy. It's gone now." She started to sit up.

"No." Matt put a hand on her shoulder. "You stay put."

"Let me go get my bag." Sheila retrieved her nurse's bag from the bedroom. Sitting down next to CJ on the couch she smiled. "So how far along are you?"

"Almost four weeks."

Matt looked at his watch. "Actually as of now it is four weeks."

"New Year's?" The nanny smiled as she put the blood pressure cuff on CJ. A minute later she removed it. "It's normal. Have you been to the doctor yet?"

CJ nodded. "I saw Carol today."

"Maybe you should call her and let her know about this. It wouldn't hurt for her to check you over again even if it isn't anything."

"I'll call her in the morning." She started to get up and Matt put his hand back on her shoulder.

"No. Stay put." He pulled out his phone and found Carol's number and hit the call button.

"Matt, don't call her now, she's probably in bed." CJ rolled her eyes.

"Keep her here." Matt looked at Sheila before he walked into the kitchen. A minute later they could hear him talking to the doctor. He disconnected the call as he came back in the room. "She wants to see you at 8:00AM sharp, no arguments."

"You know, they get bossier the older they get." CJ smiled and winked at Sheila who patted her hand.

"I'm so happy for both of you." She was beaming.

Matt knelt down next to the couch and took his wife's hand in his and then looked over at Sheila. "Do you think you can handle three kids at once?"

"Three?"

"Matt thinks I'm having twins." CJ smiled. "I wanted to talk to you about it but we weren't going to tell anyone just yet."

"I understand. But twins? Do they run in your families?" She looked between the two.

"I have no idea." Matt didn't know much at all about either of his biological parents.

CJ shook her head no. "My mom never said anything about it that I can remember. She died when I was ten."

"Why would you think she's having twins?" Sheila gave Matt a puzzled expression.

"I just do." He looked down at his wife. "Are you ready to go to bed?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm sorry we bothered you, Sheila."

"It's no bother at all." She stood up and watched as CJ got up off of the couch. The lawyer turned PI let out a yelp as Matt picked her up in his arms and carried her back towards the bedroom.

"Matt, put me down! I can walk just fine."

"Nope, you're getting the express delivery service, Mrs. Houston. No arguments." He took her back and put her down on the bed in their room as Sheila came to the door.

"Thanks again." He turned to the nurse and then looked back at his wife. "Can you stay here and stay out of trouble if I go take a shower?"

"I'm fine."

"I'll keep an eye on her. We can chat about baby names – and twins." Matt took off his boots and grabbed a pair of shorts and went into the bathroom. The two women heard the water start as Sheila sat down on the bed. "Now I want you to tell me why he thinks it's twins. He's absolutely serious about it."

CJ nodded. "Well, it started before Catey was born..." She explained how Matt had been battling a cold and, unknowingly, tonsillitis. He had been having visions every time he went to sleep. If not for that, he might not have been able to stop the planned attack on the Twenty Nine Palms Marine Base. "Plus, he kept saying all along that Catey was a girl." She shrugged.

"That's kind of spooky – but kind of cool at the same time." She thought about it for a minute. "There are a lot of things that happen that just can't be explained. But after what you told me, I'm inclined to believe that you may have a couple of little angels in the oven." She grinned.

"I don't know about angels – Matt says that they're boys." CJ grinned.

"Lord have mercy on us all if they come out like their daddy." Sheila laughed.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Matt took CJ to see Carol the next morning and just to be on the safe side, the doctor arranged for an ultrasound to be done. "I didn't know they could do them this soon." CJ looked up at her sorority sister.

"Yep. We don't do it very often, but it can be. I'll check on you when Lacey gets done with you, okay?" She patted CJ's hand and walked out.

Matt put an arm around her and she looked up to see the worry in his face. "I'm okay, hon. Calm down."

"I'm calm." He rubbed her shoulder and jumped as Lacey knocked on the door and stuck her head inside to take them to the ultrasound room. He kept an arm around her as they went down the hall and then helped her get up on the exam table and held her hand. As the technician applied the gel, CJ shivered.

"Sorry, it hasn't had time to warm up this morning." She smiled at the pair. "Okay, here we go." She started moving the wand around over CJ's abdomen and got a big smile on her face. "Well, I can't tell the sex just yet of course, but…" She turned the monitor so that the pair could see. "Congratulations – it's twins."

Matt and CJ looked at each other, smiling. "I will never doubt you again, hon." CJ put her head on his shoulder and he raised her head up and kissed her.

"Love you, Babe."

"I love you. Carol is gonna poop a gold brick." All three cracked up and there was a knock on the door and Carol popped her head in.

"Everything okay in here?" Matt nodded and pointed at the screen and the doctor walked in closer, a shocked look on her face. "How did you know?" She was completely flabbergasted.

"I saw it." He looked back down at CJ as Carol stared at the two incredulously. She recovered after a minute and then looked at Lacey.

"So how do they look?"

"From what I can tell just fine." She made a couple of shots for Matt and CJ and then some for the clinic's records.

"Okay, Sis…"Carol came over and gave CJ a hug. "Congratulations again. You said that you've been having more morning sickness than you did with Catey and that's often the case with twins. That could be a contributing factor in the dizziness, but I'm going to suggest that you try to get more rest during this pregnancy than you did last time. And if you need to call me then call me…okay?"

"I will." Both Matt and CJ were beaming. "Do you think it would be okay if I told a few people about it?"

Carol smiled. "Mama Novelli?"

Both Matt and CJ nodded. "She'll get mad if we wait too long." Matt was grinning.

"I think it would be okay. But like I said, just make sure you get plenty of rest, okay?"

"I'll make sure she does." Matt squeezed his wife's hand.

"Houston, do you think you could pick some lottery numbers for me?" Carol started laughing again as did the others.

Matt made CJ wait for him at the entrance to the building as he pulled the truck around, much to her disgruntlement. As he helped her inside and fastened her seatbelt for her, she took his face in her hands. "Matt, listen to me. I'm okay. I don't need to be treated like I'm made of glass for heaven's sake."

"I just want to be sure, Babe." He kissed her again.

As they rode back to the office, Matt started chuckling. "What?" She turned in her seat to look at him.

"I was just thinking…I know of a great way we can let Vince and them know – and Michael and Anne, too." He laughed again and then explained his plan to CJ.

When they got to the office, Murray had come up to visit Chris. As Matt and CJ stepped off of the elevator, they exchanged a smile. They had already agreed to let Chris know, but were going to swear her to secrecy until they could tell the others. "Hey Murray, how's it going?" Matt has his arm around CJ.

"Great. I just came up to see my little pumpkin before I leave for the airport. I've got to go to Japan again."

"Well, we need to tell y'all something." He looked at CJ. "Go ahead."

"No, you do it."

"Well…" He was smiling so big he almost couldn't get the words out. "We're having twins."

"What?!" Chris was shocked. "That's wonderful! I didn't know you were pregnant!"

"We didn't find out officially until yesterday."

"Then how do you know you're having twins?" Murray was shaking Matt's hand as they explained what had happened. Matt pulled the picture from the ultrasound out of his pocket and handed it over.

"Oh, my gosh! That is so cool!" Chris started to tear up.

"Now don't go gettin' all boohooey on us, Chris." Matt gave her a little hug.

"So when are they due?" Murray couldn't believe his eyes.

"September 24th." CJ was smiling. "But…we need your help with keeping this a secret for right now, okay? We've got a plan on how we're going to let everyone know, but it won't be until this weekend."

"Mum's the word." Chris and Murray both promised. "Oh boss, I almost forgot: Michael's been trying to reach you all morning."

"Oops…" Matt pulled his phone out of his pocket and CJ hers out of her purse. "Forgot to turn the ringer back on…holy cow, he's called me five times." He hit the call button as Murray shook his hand again.

"Congratulations, Big Guy."

"Thanks, Bud." He stepped on into the main part of the office as the call went through. "Hey, sorry my phone has been off for a little while. What's going on?"

"There's been another one." Michael sounded tired and it wasn't even 9:00AM. He gave the PI the address.

"I'll be there in about fifteen minutes." Matt hung up and went back out to the lobby where Murray was boarding the elevator. "Hey bud, hold that for a second would ya?" He turned to CJ. "I've gotta go. There was another one. You two," he pointed to the two ladies, "…keep an eye on each other – okay?"

"We will." They answered in unison.

Matt kissed CJ again, rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs. "Love you, Babe."

"Love you, Cowboy – and be careful out there, okay?"

"Yes ma'am." He winked at Chris and headed for the elevator.

Before getting in the truck, Matt pulled his pistol out of the console and put it into the waistband of his jeans in the back, all the while hoping that he wouldn't need it that day. True to his word, the PI pulled up to the address that Hoyt had given him and reached up onto the visor and pulled down the LAPD ID that had been issued to him and clipped it on the collar of his jacket. He looked around as he got out of the truck and put on the black Stetson that Uncle Roy had given him for Christmas. The same old yellow crime scene tape was up on the perimeter and the usual crowd of on-lookers were standing by, as well as a couple of TV news trucks. Cursing under his breath as he saw one of the reporters, Tamara Placer, the PI made it a quick walk to the crime scene tape, ignoring the woman as she tried to catch up with him. He nodded to the officer that was guarding the perimeter as he approached and the tape was lifted, admitting him to the apartment building. On the third floor landing, he found Hoyt watching as the Coroner's assistant examined the body along with Bob Wisnewski who looked up at the PI and grinned. "I thought the good guys always wore white hats?"

"Gotta throw 'em off every once in a while." Matt gave him a grin.

"Were you at school this morning?" Hoyt didn't usually have a problem reaching his friend by phone.

"No – had an appointment." Matt squatted down over the body of a young man who looked familiar. "Son of a ..." He shook his head. "I had a run-in with this kid yesterday. He's sixteen years old, for Christ's sake." Standing up, he looked around. "Did anyone see anything this time?"

"No, but one lady heard the gunshot...unfortunately it was his mother." The cop motioned down the hall where two women were crying. "What happened when you saw him yesterday?"

"It looked like he and another kid were about to break into my truck while I was looking around one of the crime scenes. His friend pulled a switch blade on me."

"Obviously he didn't cut you – what happened?"

"I pulled my Glock." The private investigator didn't look any too happy about it. "Told his buddy to drop the knife and I picked it up and broke it. Sent them home." Matt looked down at the boy. "Hell, he can't even shave yet." He sighed. "Have you talked to the mom already?"

"No, I don't speak Spanish. None of the officers here do – would you mind?"

Matt nodded and they headed up the hallway. Removing his hat as he approached the two ladies, Matt quietly spoke. _"Señoras, lo siento por lo que pasó. ¿Usted sabe de alguien que le haría esto a él?"_

_"Es esa maldita pandilla, yo sé lo que es."_

_"¿Qué banda?" _

_"Los Diablos han estado tratando de conseguir que se uniera durante los últimos dos meses, pero él no quiso. __¡ Y ahora han matado a mi bebé!"!" _The woman broke down into sobs again and began to slowly collapse. Matt quickly handed his hat to Michael and reached for her, holding her up as the other lady brought a chair out of the apartment.

"_Ahora cálmate." _Looking at the other lady, he spoke again. _"¿Puede obtener poco de agua, por favor?" _

She returned a moment later with a glass of water. _"Aquí, usted bebe." _After she took a few sips and was a little calmer, he took her hand. _"Les prometo que voy a encontrar quién hizo esto, ¿de acuerdo?" _The boy's mother nodded as tears streaked down her face once again. Matt stood and picked her up carrying her into the apartment and settling her on the couch. Looking at the other lady as he handed her one of his cards he spoke again. _"Quédese adentro. Ella no necesita ver eso. Si necesita algo o pensar en algo que pueda ayudarnos a atraparlos, llámame, por favor, señora."_ He went back out into the hallway.

"I asked her who might have done it and she said Los Diablos. They've been trying to get him to join for two months but he wouldn't." Matt watched as Bob finished up his work and the Coroner's assistants put the boy into a body bag and strapped it to a gurney for the ride to the morgue. He and Hoyt walked back down the hallway to talk to Bob. "So what do we know?"

"It looks to be a 9 mil, right to the heart. He probably didn't feel a thing." The three men watched as the gurney bumped down the stairs and outside. "I did get a shoe print in the blood. It doesn't match the victim's. I'll let you know as soon as I have something."

Hoyt nodded. "Thanks, Bob."

Matt looked around and then up at the corner of the landing where a broken security camera dangled by wires and looked to have been snatched down. He shook his head and headed down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk. As he looked toward the east, he saw a rainbow stretching over the city and then looked at the area around him. It was hard to believe such a symbol of beauty and hope was visible in such a squalid place. Hoyt walked outside then. "Want to meet at your office and go over what I got yesterday?"

"Yeah. See you there." The cop walked over and got into his car and pulled away from the curb as Matt looked back over to the east. The rainbow had disappeared.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Matt decided to take the stairs up from the parking garage in the police station and stepped through the door just in time to catch the argument that was going on between Hoyt and Det. John Oxford. "I don't know what you've been doing but it hasn't been your job. I want to see some progress on that case by the end of the day, Oxford. Or else…do you understand me?" Michael Hoyt had not been happy with Oxford from the time that he had been transferred in to the office which was about three days after the lieutenant had been shifted over to take Vince Novelli's place. Matt skipped the coffee pot and made a point of keeping a goodly amount of space between himself and the conversation that was taking place between the two detectives. He let himself into Michael's office and pulled his notebook out of his back pocket and the pistol out of the back of his jeans as he sat down on the couch. He placed the Glock and his hat on the table in front of him. Hoyt came in a minute later and headed straight for the bottle of antacid in the top right hand drawer of his desk. Matt kept quiet. He and Michael had shared private conversations about Det. Oxford. Neither of them trusted him and Hoyt was ready to either have the man fired or transferred.

Hoyt took a long swallow from the bottle of antacid and replaced the cap, tossing the bottle into the drawer and slamming it. He stood back up and removed his suit jacket. Matt studied his notes while waiting for the lieutenant to calm down. After a minute of leaning back in the chair with his eyes closed, Michael sat back up and looked over at his friend. "I swear…one of these days…" He shook his head. "To hell with Oxford, the useless son of a bitch." After another deep breath he leaned back and propped his feet on the corner of the desk. "So…what did you find yesterday?"

"Can you pull up your records on Óscar Guadarrama?" He waited as Michael picked up the keyboard and typed in the name.

"Done."

"I'm going to make a guess here. Mr. Guadarrama was a janitor and he was stabbed to death."

"He was. How did you…the graffiti?" He couldn't believe it.

Nodding, Matt flipped to another page as he looked around outside of the lieutenant's office. No one was nearby. "I talked to Lorenzo yesterday. He thinks what I do. And here's another tidbit for you: the nine ball and devil are used by Los Diablos."

"The devil I can understand but what's the ball got to do with it?"

"Whittier Boulevard is Route 72."

"Damn." He took a big breath. "But how did you know about Guadarrama being a janitor?" He watched as the PI stood up and pulled out his phone. After scrolling through, he showed the cop the picture of the crossed broom and mop as well as the knife along with the nine ball and devil. Matt also showed him the graffiti from the de La Fuente scene and the Santiago sisters. "Son of a gun…okay, I believe you."

"Lorenzo and I were discussing if it's Los Diablos trying to take credit or someone pointing us in their direction. We both think it's a hint in the right direction. Also…" He walked over to the window and told Hoyt about chasing the young man in the charcoal hoodie.

"Not to be a doubting Thomas, but that doesn't really mean anything. He may have just been nosy."

Matt shook his head. "I don't think so. When I was chasing him down the alley I heard clanking and rattling sounds. I think it was cans of spray paint hitting against each other in his backpack." The private investigator looked back out at the traffic. "That kid yesterday was running around with a friend. I'm going to try to track him down and see if our tagger has given us anymore clues about the kid this morning. You said his name was Lucho Eliseo, right?"

"That's it." Hoyt looked at the keyboard, brushing a few crumbs off of it. "Sixteen years old."

"Hits too close to home doesn't it?" He turned to look at his friend, knowing that he was thinking about his teenaged daughter Kathy.

"So does the murder of a four month old baby girl." Michael looked up at Matt who nodded and walked back over to the table to pick up the hat and the gun. "Hey…" The PI turned to look at him. "Watch yourself out there. For all we know that boy's supposed friend may have killed him."

"I don't think so, Michael – he only had a switchblade on him yesterday – and it was a cheap one."

"And maybe he moved up to a gun."

Matt put the hat on his head and the gun back in his waistband. "Holler at you later." He walked out of the office and straight to the stairwell. Hoyt saw Oxford watching the PI with undisguised hatred. Every other detective in the office as well as the officers assigned to them had grown to like and respect Matt – but not Oxford. Michael couldn't help but wonder if it was because of fear. Fear of what - he didn't know, but he couldn't think of any other reason.

On the way over to the neighborhood where he had run into Eliseo and his friend the day before, Matt thought through what had happened when he had confronted the pair. The boy with the switchblade had seemed angry but Eliseo had just seemed scared. Now he was dead. His mother said he had turned down the gang. If he and his friend were breaking into vehicles and stealing whatever they could find, was it possible that the gang wanted a cut of the action? He really wanted to find the other boy as well as the kid in the charcoal hoodie. Another thought occurred to him: Eliseo's mother seemed like a nice lady from what little he had seen of her. The apartment she lived in was cramped but clean. Obviously money was in short supply or they wouldn't have been living there. Was that why Lucho had been casing the truck? He stopped at a red light and looked around him. There were too many questions and not nearly enough answers to go around.

As he got closer to Adolfo's diner, he decided to stop in and see if the man had any idea who the kid with the switchblade was or the kid that he had chased in the alley. He pulled into the parking lot and it was once again almost full. Matt headed for the door and noticed as he got closer that there was a young man standing just inside the doorway pointing a pistol at the woman behind the cash register. Very quietly, Matt eased the door open and tapped the young man on the shoulder, causing him to spin around. As he did, the PI hit him with his left fist and the would-be robber hit the floor with a thud. Lorenzo came out from behind the kitchen counter. "Just like the lawman in the old westerns, hey _varón_?" The beefy restaurateur walked over and looked down at the robber who was out cold. "Nice punch."

Matt rolled the man over on his belly, pulled his hands behind his back, and removed a set of handcuffs from his jacket pocket and put them on the kid, then stood up and called Hoyt to send over a car for him. "You know this guy?" He nodded at the prisoner who was starting to come to.

"No, don't think so." Lorenzo watched as Matt began to pat him down then rolled the man onto his side and instructed him to get up. _"Doble la rodilla, ahora levantarse." _He helped him to his feet and then had him sit on the window sill.

"When did you start carrying cuffs?" Adolfo poured a cup of coffee and handed it to the PI.

"They go with this." He showed his badge from the Harris County Sheriff's Department in Houston, Texas and explained how he had received it. "The cuffs were a Christmas present from Hoyt. You can imagine the comments that got made when I opened 'em." He grinned and then took a sip of the coffee as Adolfo burst into laughter.

After the zone car came by and took a statement from the cashier, Matt got his cuffs back and he and Lorenzo went back to the office to talk once again. The PI told him about the switchblade confrontation, the kid in the charcoal hoodie, and how Lucho Eliseo was now dead. "I don't know about the boy with the blade, but I've seen the one with the hoodie that you were talking about. Real quiet kid. I don't know his name but I'll see what I can find out – about both of them." He watched as Matt got to his feet. "Hey _vaquero_…" The PI turned to look at him. "No joke man, watch yourself. It isn't safe for a _gringo_ around here anyway – especially not one who asks a lot of questions and runs with the police. _¿_ _¿Entiendes lo que digo?_

"Yep – I know."

"Congratulations on the badge. And thanks for taking out the _bandito_. Poor slob." He laughed again as he imitated the man going down in a heap. Matt laughed and walked out of the office and back through the kitchen to the front door and out into the parking lot. He slid behind the wheel and decided to pay a visit to Sra. Eliseo. She might know who the other boy was that her son had been running around with the day before.

A block away from the apartment building he saw the tagger in action. It was the boy in the charcoal hoodie with the backpack. Matt parked the truck around the corner and snuck back, this time getting within four feet of the youth before he turned and saw him. As he started to run off, Matt grabbed him by the shoulders and pinned him against the wall of the building. "Easy man, I just want to talk to you. You're not in trouble, okay? Actually I wanted to thank you for helping." That stopped the young man's struggling. "Look, let's talk in the truck. I'm guessing that you don't want Los Diablos to see you, right?" The boy nodded and Matt picked up the backpack and started for the truck. The kid climbed in and looked around.

"Nice ride."

"Thanks." Matt pulled one of his cards out of the visor and handed it to the kid. "My name's Matt Houston. I'm an advisor to the LAPD. Thanks for the clues – you do really good work."

"You like it?" The boy was shocked. "Most people think it's just trash."

"Nope. There's a surprising amount of detail in your work. And considering how rushed you probably are when you do it…" He smiled at the boy who grinned. "It's absolutely amazing in my opinion."

"Thanks. Most people hate it."

"I'm not most people."

"I can see that now." He looked down at the card. "Sorry I ran from you yesterday. I was scared. I thought you were a cop."

"Well, like I said, I'm an advisor. I help them out when they get overloaded with cases or just get stuck – kinda like now." He looked around the truck. "So do you know anything that can help me catch these guys?"

"I…" The boy stopped and swallowed.

"I promise you, you're not in any trouble."

"I saw when Edelmiro Dominguez was killed. He was a friend of mine."

Matt pulled out the list that Hoyt had given him. "That was New Year's Eve." He looked over at the boy. "What happened?"

"The same as what happened to Lucho." Tears showed in the boy's eyes. "He wouldn't join the gang. His older brother had joined about three weeks before – and got killed two days later in a drive by. Eddie promised his mom he wouldn't join up. They sliced him up so bad…" The tears began to fall then. "I wouldn't have known it was him if I hadn't been there. His mom didn't know it was him until she saw the St. Christopher medal that she had given him when he was twelve."

"So do you know which one did it?"

"Hell…there were seven of them that knifed him."

Matt handed the kid a bandana and he wiped his face and blew his nose then started to hand it back. "No, that's okay. You can keep it." Both of them laughed and then got serious once more.

"It's like living in a war zone out here, Mr. Houston. You never know when the bullets or knives are going to start flying."

"Where do you live?" The boy got quiet again. "Where?"

"Anywhere out of the cold where I won't get run out." He looked at Matt.

"So you don't have a home." The kid shook his head. "Got any family?"

"No. I lived with my _abuela _until she died about four years ago. Ever since I've stayed with friends when I can or…whatever." He looked up at Matt. "You won't tell anybody will you? I don't want to go to an orphanage."

The PI sighed. "We'll get it straightened out. Now, I'm looking for somebody else, too. You knew Lucho Eliseo pretty well?"

"Kind of; we were in the same class when I was in school. He was pretty nice."

"Okay, do you know the guy he ran around with? About 5'10", maybe 120?"

"He usually ran with Felipe…I don't know his last name. He was in our class, too."

"Know where he lives?"

"The apartment building next door to Lucho's – I don't know the number."

"That's okay, I'll figure that out." Matt looked around. "Look, I'm going to take you to talk to my friend – he's a cop but…hold up, man!" He grabbed the boy's arm as he tried to get out of the truck. "Look, we'll go to my office and have him come over there. He's a good guy and I won't let him put you in an orphanage, okay? I swear." The boy nodded.

The PI started the truck and dropped it in gear as he pulled out his cell phone and called Hoyt. "Michael, I need you to meet me at my office in about fifteen minutes. It's important." He hung up as the cop started sputtering. The kid looked over at him surprised. "He'll get over it." Matt smiled as he turned the corner.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

As Matt parked the truck in the garage at the Houston Industries Building, he noticed that the kid was really quiet. "I don't even know your name."

"Tomás Sergio." He looked at the PI. "Are you the guy that owns this place?"

"Used to own it. Don't anymore. I turned it into a money-maker for charities. One of my friends runs it now." Sergio looked shocked as they stepped off the elevator. "As a matter of fact, you see this pretty lady here?" He pointed to Chris. "She's married to him. Chris, this is my new friend Tomás Sergio."

The secretary smiled and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Hi." The boy blushed.

"Come on in here." Matt walked up the steps into CJ's office. "And this pretty lady here is my wife, CJ. CJ, this is…"

"Tomás Sergio, I heard." She shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Come on over and sit down." Matt motioned to the boy who sat down on the love seat as he looked around. The elevator chimed and Matt stuck his head out the door. "We're in here, Michael."

"What is the big idea of hanging up on me? I swear…" The cop looked over and saw Tomás. "Is this the kid in the hoodie you were talking about?"

"Yep." Matt introduced the pair and the boy looked like he was ready to bolt. "His bark is a lot worse than his bite – don't worry about him." Matt winked as he moved a chair over for Michael who gave him a surprised look. "Now, tell him what you told me." He waited and the boy looked down at his hands. "Go ahead, it's okay."

The boy told the cop exactly what he had told Matt. "So you witnessed it, huh?" The cop nodded.

"Now, Tomás: you hang out here for a minute and keep an eye on CJ for me, will ya? I need to talk to Michael about our other problem. I think I might have a solution that you'll like, okay?" The kid nodded. Matt stood up and grabbed Hoyt by the sleeve and took him out onto the patio. "Look, this kid's been living on the streets for the last four years and he'll run like a scalded jackrabbit if he even hears the word orphanage."

"He has to go…" Hoyt started in until the PI silenced him.

"I think I know a way around it but I'm going to need some help from you to do it."

"Why do you do this to me?" Hoyt reached into his pocket for the antacids. "I swear between you and Oxford today…" He sighed as he looked at his friend. "What's the idea?"

"I want to keep him close until this blows over and then see what we can do about getting him back in school. Do you think we can get it approved for him to stay with CJ and me until things settle down?"

"You know I can't guarantee that."

"All I'm asking is for you to try…" Matt looked down at his boots for a minute. "Hoyt, that boy could be me…if Wade hadn't given me over to Bill." He looked up at his friend. "Please?"

"Alright." Hoyt sighed. "Look, we need to get Eliseo's mom to sign a statement and after that I'll see what I can do – I know someone at CPS. I'll have a car to pick Mrs. Eliseo up and …" He stopped as Matt shook his head.

"I'll pick her up and explain it. And we'll meet here – just in case somebody from Los Diablos is watching. I don't want to put her in danger – anymore than she already is."

"Okay." Michael took a deep breath. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Since you're the one with the badge and all…" Matt grinned.

"You've got one, too. And it seems to me that you arrested a robber earlier."

"Nope, just detained – and my badge is only good in Texas." The PI started into the office as Michael rolled his eyes. "That way you can make the phone call on the way." Walking quickly past the cop, he headed back into the office to talk to CJ.

"I need you to stay here for right now, okay?" Tomás nodded. Matt leaned over and gave CJ a kiss. "Be back quick as I can." Leaning in he whispered in her ear. "Are you feeling okay?" She nodded and winked at him. "Love you, Babe." He kissed her again.

"Love you, Cowboy. Stay out of trouble."

"Yes ma'am." He and Michael headed to the elevator and down to the parking garage. "Hoyt…thanks."

"Uh huh. Shut up, PI." Matt snickered and Hoyt popped him on the back of the head.

After speaking with his friend for a few minutes, Hoyt was told that the Houstons could have temporary custody of the boy for seventy two hours. He hung up and passed the news on to the PI. "That's long enough to get things started. Thanks."

Back at the Eliseo apartment, the pair noticed that the blood had been cleaned up from the landing on the stairs as they went up to the apartment on the third floor. Matt knocked and heard as the peephole cover was moved back. A few seconds later he heard the sound of locks being turned and chains being removed. Sra. Eliseo opened it a few inches and looked up at him_. __"La señora Eliseo, lamento molestarlo. Necesitamos que vengas firmar una declaración. Te prometo tenerte de vuelta aquí lo más rápido posible."_

_"No, no puedo ir."_

_"Señora, realmente necesito tu ayuda con esto."_

_"No puedo dejar a mi hija aquí." _She opened the door for the two men. _"Entre."_

"_Gracias_." Matt and Michael stepped inside. "She says she can't leave her daughter here." He turned to look at the woman whose face was red and puffy from crying. "_Ella puede venir con nosotros. ¿Ella está aquí_?" She nodded. The PI went back into the bedroom followed by the woman and Michael. There playing on the bed was an adorable little girl who looked to be about six. "Hi." Matt smiled at her.

"Hi." She looked extremely shy.

"My name's Houston. What's yours?" He knelt down beside the bed.

"Alicia." She looked up at Michael with big brown eyes.

Matt pointed over at the cop. "He's Michael."

"Pleased to meet you." The cop gave a little bow and the girl giggled.

"We're going to take you and your mom for a ride to my office. Do you have some shoes around here?"

"Down there." She pointed to the side of the bed.

Matt leaned down and picked them up. Giving her a playfully doubtful look, he spoke again. "Can you tie these yourself?"

"Uh huh. Watch." She took them and put them on.

"He can't tie shoes – that's why his boots have zippers." Michael pointed at Matt and Alicia giggled again as Matt stuck his tongue out at the cop.

The PI stood up and looked to the girl's mother. _"¿Tenemos que tener esto?_" He pointed to an asthma inhaler on the bedside table and Sra. Eliseo picked it up. "Okay, ready?" Alicia slid off the bed and took her mother by the hand and the four of them walked out. As they neared the stairway, Sra. Eliseo became visibly upset and Matt put an arm around her as they started down the steps.

After making sure that Alicia was buckled up in the truck, Matt drove them back to the office. He held Alicia up so that she could punch the button for the penthouse suite. When they stepped off of the elevator, he introduced the little girl to Chris and then turned to Sra. Eliseo and asked if she minded the child staying with the secretary while they talked. She nodded and the little girl sat in Chris' lap as she pulled up a coloring program on the computer for her to play with.

Inside of CJ's office, Matt offered the woman a seat on the loveseat as Tomás stood up. He sat back down after she did, impressing CJ with his manners.

Hoyt sat on a corner of CJ's desk. "Would you mind typing up her statement?" He looked over at CJ, thinking to himself that she looked slightly pale.

"Sure. By the way, I've already gotten one from Tomás. Hon, you're Spanish is better than mine. Would you translate for us?"

"No problem." He pulled over a chair and sat down near the woman and explained what they needed to do. She nodded and CJ pulled her keyboard closer and nodded at the woman.

As she began speaking, Sra. Eliseo was calm. She explained that Lucho had left that morning just like always to go to school. A minute after he walked out the door she heard raised voices and then a loud popping noise and a thump. It was at this point that she began crying. She had opened the door and saw the boy lying on the landing and ran to him but he was already dead. Matt translated as they went.

"Did you see anyone else or hear a name?" The PI reached over and patted her hand.

"No. When the yelling started I heard someone say, "I told you what would happen." Lucho was a good boy. He helped to take care of us." She broke down crying.

"Do you know Felipe – Lucho's friend?" Matt spoke quietly.

"Yes, they have been friends since they started school together. He would not do this." She shook her head vehemently.

"We need to talk to him to see if he knows why this happened. He lives in the building next to you, right?"

"Yes. Apartment 612."

"Okay…We'll…" Matt stopped when he heard a loud wheezing coming from the outer office. He took off to find Chris trying to help Alicia. Her mother came running with her inhaler. In a couple of minutes the little girl was breathing better, but not as good as she should have been. "CJ, call Carol and tell her we're coming over there, please." He scooped up the little girl and carried her to the elevator with her mother trailing behind them.

"_¿A dónde la llevan?" _ Sra. Eliseo was obviously startled. Matt explained in Spanish that he was taking her to a doctor_. __"No, ningún médico - no hay dinero."_

"_Voy a__cuidar de ella__- no se preocupe__."_

The elevator doors closed and Hoyt looked at CJ. "What was all of that?"

"She said she didn't have money for a doctor and Matt told her he was taking care of it – not to worry."

When Houston got to the clinic, the receptionist waved him on back and he carried Alicia back to one of the treatment rooms. Carol came in a minute later and Matt explained what was going on. The little girl looked scared. "Alicia, this is my friend Carol. She's a doctor and she's going to help you, okay? She's really nice."

Carol smiled at the girl and examined her. "Could you ask her mother what medication she's been taking?" Matt asked and the woman produced the inhaler. "Is she taking anything else?" The private eye asked and the mother shook her head no. After finding out the frequency of the child's attacks, Carol began to write out a prescription and the woman shook her head no. The doctor looked to Matt who knelt down in front of the chair where she was sitting. Speaking in Spanish once again, he told her that Alicia needed more medicine and not to worry about it – he would take care of it. She shook her head no, but Matt took her hand and spoke again. The woman started crying again and then thanked Matt.

"Give her what she needs. I'll take care of whatever it is."

"Look, she's obviously having a tough time – tell her that we have a program that can help her." Carol had set up the clinic to help people who wouldn't ordinarily have access to medical care. Matt passed the information along and she nodded, thanking the doctor. "I'll be back in just a minute." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a piece of candy. "Do you like strawberry?"

"Yes ma'am. Thank you." The child popped the piece of candy in her mouth.

"I like strawberry, too." Matt grinned at her.

"I guess you've been pretty good today." She handed him a piece as well and patted him on top of the head, causing the mother and daughter to laugh.

After getting the girl set up with a nebulizer and medicine, Matt took them back to the office so that Sra. Eliseo could sign the statement. When they got there, CJ had ordered several pizzas and everyone was eating. As Matt put Alicia up on one of the barstools, CJ dished up the meal. Matt and Michael walked out onto the patio with Tomás. "Have a seat, bud." The three sat down at the table and after he took a bite of the pizza, Matt looked over at the boy. "I'm assuming that you haven't been to school in a while." The boy hung his head and shook it. "Alright, that's fine. How far did you get in school?"

"I was halfway through the sixth grade…but I kind of kept up. I always liked Math and I got books from the library and taught myself how to do stuff."

Matt raised his eyebrows. "Did you now? That's good." He looked at the boy for a minute. "What do you want to do for a living?"

Tomas took a bite of pizza and shrugged. "I love to paint but nobody wants to hire someone to put graffiti on their walls."

"I'm assuming you can draw?"

"Yes sir." He reached for his backpack and pulled out three sketchpads that were full of his work and handed them to Matt. The PI started looking through them.

"You know, folks might not want you painting their walls, but I bet you would make one hell of a tattoo artist. Ever thought about that?"

"Yes sir. That would be like a dream job. But nobody will hire me right now."

"Not right now." Matt took another swallow of his drink and looked at the boy. "I've got an idea. Let's see about getting this case wrapped up and then we'll work on this idea I have." He grinned.

Hoyt had sat and quietly listened to the pair. "Uh oh. When he smiles like that it usually means trouble – especially for me."

"Actually Michael, if what I have in mind works it will take some of the heat off of you and make our young friend here very happy I believe."

"There's a first time for everything I guess." Hoyt rolled his eyes and took another bite of pizza as his phone went off. "Yeah Sanchez?" He put the pizza back on the plate and wiped his hands. "Uh huh, I'll be right there." Hanging up he stood. "Gotta go. Can I trust you to take care of things, PI?"

"You usually do." Matt grinned. "I'll call you later."

Hoyt started back into the office but turned around and grabbed the slice of pizza taking it with him. The two could hear him thanking CJ on his way out. Matt looked over at Tomás. "When we get done here I'm going to take the ladies home."

"Then what?"

"Then I reckon you'll learn how to feed a horse tonight." The PI finished off his pizza and went back into the office, laughing at the puzzled expression on the kid's face.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

After taking the Eliseo family home, Matt decided to try his luck finding Felipe at the apartment building next door. There was no answer at the door, so he decided to try again later. As he headed back down the stairs it occurred to him that Felipe – even if he was innocent of the murder of Lucho – might be on the run. If he had turned down the gang like his friend he could well be on their hit list. As he slid behind the wheel of the truck, Matt noticed that the sunshine that had made most of the day more tolerable was being overrun by dark clouds. He called the office and talked to Tomás, trying to figure out where he might be able to find Felipe. Although the boy gave him a couple of ideas, neither one panned out and Matt headed back to the office and picked the young man up to go to the police station with him to try to put a name with the faces of the gang members who had killed Edelmiro Dominguez.

On the way to the station, the teenager was very quiet. Matt looked at him. "Are you worried?"

"I'd be lying if I said no." He thought for a minute. "If I identify these guys…even if they go to jail, the others will try to kill me."

"They might…but if you aren't around here, they won't have much success will they?" The PI grinned.

"Where will I be?"

"I don't have it all worked out just yet, but I promise you that it'll be okay."

The boy was quiet again. "Mr. Houston, you don't know me. Why are you doing all of this?"

"Let's just say that I like to make things better for folks; and I'd say that you're overdue for things to be better."

Matt led the way in to the station, skipping the desk in the lobby in an effort to keep as few people as possible from seeing the boy. They took the stairs and went straight up to Hoyt's office. "Looks like he's still out on something, but…" Matt sat down behind the desk and started hitting keys on the keyboard. "Come on over here, bud. Have a seat." Standing, he turned the monitor a little bit so that Tomás could see better. "Okay, here is a bunch of ugly mugs." The boy cracked up. "See if you recognize any of them from the night Dominguez was killed. Just let me know, okay? Be right back." Matt went out to hit the coffee pot and talked to Sanchez for a minute, all the while getting the feeling that he was being watched. Lowering his voice, he asked the clerk, "Is Oxford staring at me?"

"Yep." Luis picked up a folder and began straightening the contents.

"You know, I don't remember pissing in his oaties but I guess at some point in time I did." Matt refilled the coffee cup and headed into the office as Sanchez did his best to quit laughing.

"Any luck?" He plopped down on the couch.

"I've got three of them…I wrote down the names and record numbers."

"Well, aren't you smart?" Matt stood up and walked back around the desk and looked at the list. "Good work."

Hoyt stepped off of the elevator and hit the coffee pot on his way into the office. He removed his jacket and hung it on the coat tree. "So how is it going?"

"He's found three so far." Matt stepped out of the way and pointed to the list.

"Good." Hoyt patted the kid on the back. "Let me know if you see anymore."

"Yes sir."

The cop looked over at Matt who stood at the window looking out over the traffic. He walked up beside the man. "So I take it CJ is okay with all of this?" He waited and didn't get a reply. Looking over at Matt he could tell the man's mind was a million miles away. "Hey…" Michael touched the man's shoulder causing him to jump.

"Huh?"

Lowering his voice, Michael looked his friend directly in the eye. "Houston, look I know you told me everything is okay, but…is CJ okay? She looked pale."

"Yeah, yeah, she's fine." He quickly took a drink of coffee and looked back out the window.

"Well something is going on…you're not sick are you?"

"No, everything's fine."

"Bull. What is going on?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, PI. I'm not stupid. Something is going on."

Matt finished off the coffee and slowly turned to his friend. "Okay…something is going on…but I won't tell you about it until Saturday."

"Saturday? What the…"

"I found two more of them, Lieutenant." Tomás was smiling. "I went through all of the gang members that Houston pulled up."

"Five out of seven isn't bad at all, bud." Matt grinned.

"Good job, son. Let me get over here and pull up their records." The cop sat back down behind the desk and as he began typing in the name of the first suspect, he looked back up at Matt. "If I find out you're not being completely truthful with me, Houston…"

"All will be revealed Saturday. I promise." The PI grinned and went back out to the coffee pot, coming back in a minute later on the phone with CJ. "Looks like I'm going to be late. Better call Lamar and get him to pick you up." He listened. "Yes ma'am, I promise. Love you, Babe. 'Bye." He hung up and looked up at the door as it opened. "Uh oh, here comes trouble."

"Watch your mouth, boy. I'll put a whoopin' on you." Roy Houston pretended to hit his nephew in the stomach. "Is this your replacement, Michael?" He looked at Tomás and winked.

"Not yet." Hoyt had just finished sending the names over to the waiting Assistant District Attorney.

Matt introduced Tomás, filled his uncle in on what was going on, and a short time later Sanchez came through the door with a stack of papers. "The warrants just came through, Lieutenant."

"Good. Thanks." He stood up and pulled his pistol out of his holster and checked the load.

"Uncle Roy, do you think you could hang out here with Tomás for a little bit?" Matt pulled his Glock out of the waistband of his jeans and checked the magazine.

"Sure thing."

"I'll be back as soon as we've rounded them up, bud. Then we'll go home, okay?"

"Home?" The boy looked shocked. "You're taking me to your house?"

"No…" Matt put the pistol back in his waistband. "I'll be taking you to the ranch. You've got a horse to feed, remember?" He grinned as he opened the door.

"Mattlock, be careful out there." Roy Houston couldn't help but worry about his nephew.

"Yes sir." With that, the two men headed out along with two other detectives from the squad room, Lee Jennings and Carl Trenton. John Oxford had already left a few minutes earlier, much to everyone's relief. Matt stopped by his truck on the way to meet up with the SWAT team and got his holster, vest, and LAPD cap. When he got to the area where everyone was meeting up he was greeted by Lt. Brad Langston. "Hey bud, how ya doin'?" The two men shook hands.

"Pretty good. Looks like you need a ride again."

"Sure. I always did like deluxe accommodations." The PI headed up into the truck with the six other men on the team.

Twenty minutes later they were about to enter the area where the gang members had their headquarters. All of the officers had their weapons at the ready and the moment the truck stopped, Matt and the others quickly jumped out and headed into the building as another truckload of SWAT members covered the back and sides along with uniformed officers. As Michael Hoyt exited his vehicle, he could see Matt going in the front door along with Lt. Langston. The moment he disappeared inside, shots rang out. As Hoyt and Jennings moved in, gunfire erupted from the back of the building as well. Once inside, the veteran cop was met with the sight of two gang members on the floor, one who appeared to already be dead and another who wasn't far behind him. As he looked around he spotted Matt running up the stairs and saw a cloud of dust erupt from the wall not two inches from the man's head. Houston fired and the body of one of the members fell down to the first floor, landing with a solid thud. Hoyt followed his friend up the stairs. As he reached the top, Matt was hunkered against the wall on the left hand side. The PI snuck a peek around the corner and was greeted by gunfire and moved over to the right hand side. Taking a big breath, he dove around the corner and down into the floor of the hallway, firing shots as he slid about four feet. Hoyt came around as his friend ejected the magazine from his pistol and reloaded, the cop taking out one of the members who popped out of another one of the rooms.

"Much appreciated, bud." Matt grinned and the pair headed on down the hall. At the room on the end where the first shots had come from, the PI looked in and saw the other boy that he had been searching for that day – Felipe. He was slouched against the wall in the back corner of the room bleeding profusely from what appeared to be a stab wound.

"Look out!" Hoyt spotted the gang member that had been edging around the end of a large crate and shot him just as another came around from another crate on the opposite side. Matt dove into the room, rolling to his right hand side as he shot and hitting the man squarely in the chest. As Hoyt removed the weapons from the reach of the two men, Matt went to Felipe's side.

"Easy there, bud." He looked around at Michael. "Give me your tie." Hoyt quickly slipped it off and handed it to Matt who had removed the knife from his pocket and cut a large piece of material from the teen's pants leg. He quickly folded it over and secured it around the boy's waist as Hoyt called for the paramedics.

"I didn't do it – I didn't kill Lucho." Tears fell from Felipe's eyes.

"I know you didn't. Don't try to talk, okay?" He and Hoyt eased the boy down, applied pressure on the wound, and propped his legs up.

"We stole stuff but…" The boy was having a hard time breathing.

"I know…you did it to help your families. Don't try to talk, okay?"

"What about Tomás? They said they were going to kill him for snitching…"

"He's safe. I found him earlier. Don't talk."

"I'm sorry. Please tell my mom…"

"Easy now." Matt knew in the pit of his stomach that the boy wasn't going to make it and his worst fears were confirmed a minute later when the paramedics showed up and began to work on him. In a couple more minutes the boy was lifeless and the two medics were doing everything they could to restore his heartbeat. Lt. Langston came through the door after the boy was carried out.

"You two okay?" He looked between Matt and Hoyt.

"Yeah." Hoyt put his pistol back in his holster as Matt turned and walked toward the door pulling back his left hand and punching a hole in the door, causing it to jar against the wall and shake violently. Hoyt and Langston caught back up with him as he went out the front door of the building. The remaining Los Diablos were being taken out to the sidewalk and loaded into vans. "Houston." Hoyt reached his friend's side and looked down at his hand: it was quickly swelling and bleeding. "Stop." The PI kept walking and Hoyt grabbed him by the shoulders. "I said stop!" He grabbed his friend by the shoulder and led him over to sit on the back of one of the SWAT trucks.

Matt was leaning over, shaking his head as Brad Langston spoke. "All five that we had the warrants for were here. Three of them are in custody and two of them are dead. I thought you might want to know."

"Okay." The PI looked up. "Thanks." Langston patted him on the shoulder and moved off to the ambulance that was sitting a few feet away, telling the paramedic inside that he had another customer on the back of the SWAT truck.

"Hey, you did what you could, Houston." Hoyt knew Matt was upset over the boy. "He might make it. You don't know."

"He's gone, Hoyt. You and I both know it – don't try to kid me." The detective's voice cracked with the emotion.

"We got here as fast as we could, man – you know that! There is absolutely no point in you sitting here beating yourself up."

"I should have found him this afternoon." Matt shook his head. The paramedic came over and began examining his hand.

"Has it occurred to you that he might have already been here when you were looking for him?"

Matt shook his head. The paramedic was kneeling by him. "Sir, this hand may be broken and you definitely need stitches. Come with me." The PI shook his head no.

"Get up off of your butt and go with the man, Houston. You did what you could do. Now go." Hoyt grabbed the man by the front of his shirt, hauled him to his feet and began dragging him toward the ambulance. Reluctantly, Matt climbed up in the back and relented as the medic began treating him.

"Would you call…?"

"I'm about to call Roy and then CJ. Go…" He turned around and started away. "I'll see you over there."

"Thanks, Michael."

"You're welcome. Why in the hell you're welcome I don't know. Lousy PI's are like lightning rods…" The lieutenant continued walking away, fussing the entire time.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Saturday afternoon, Matt and CJ were getting everything ready for a cookout. Since Matt's left hand was wrapped in bandages, Tomás had volunteered to help him cook on the grill. The cooler weather that had been around most of the week was gone and the temperature was near sixty five degrees. They had sent the jet to Hawaii the afternoon before to pick up the entire Novelli family and were now waiting for the Hoyts to show up.

"There they are." CJ looked up as she heard the engine of Michael's car coming up the driveway. The cop got out and walked the rest of the way up to the patio, his arm around his wife Anne's waist as their teenage daughter Kathy followed along. "We thought maybe you had forgotten about us."

"No, just trying to be fashionably late." Michael gave her a peck on the cheek and then walked over to talk to the Novellis. He and Vince shook hands.

"Alright Ace, we're all here. What are you going to do – announce your retirement?"

"Funny, Vince, real funny. Okay, everybody have a seat." He and CJ waited as the entire group sat down. "Miss Sheila, would you help us out here?" The nanny nodded as she put Catey Rose in her high chair and went into the house, returning in a minute with a stack of boxes. "Alright folks. Here's the rules: you don't open the boxes until we say so. Now this is a two part surprise. What we want you to do is look at what's on top, then look underneath that at the other thing that's in there; got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, we got it already. You do know Christmas was in December, right?" The former cop couldn't help but pick on the man as Sheila set boxes in front of himself, Isabella, Mama, Roy, Michael, and Anne.

"Hush, Vince. Okay, now on the count of three. Are you ready?" He looked at CJ. "Together?"

"Yep. You start."

"Okay, one…" Matt was grinning as he looked at CJ.

"Two…." The lawyer-turned-PI was watching their guests.

Together they shouted. "THREE!" They both watched as the group tore into the boxes, all of the kids leaning over to see what was inside. In each box was a t-shirt with "I'M AN UNCLE AGAIN", "I'M AN AUNT AGAIN", "I'M A GRANDMA AGAIN", OR "I'M A GRANDPA AGAIN".

"Oh, my God!" Vince started laughing. Then he and the others all looked underneath the shirts to find copies of the ultrasound picture.

"Oh no! No, no, no…this has got to be a bad joke." Michael was laughing.

"Oh my goodness!" Mama – as expected – burst into tears. "_Due piccoli bambini! Oh mio ... Sono così felice!"_

Matt and CJ looked at Vince and Isabella. "Translation, please?" CJ was laughing.

"She said "Two little babies! Oh my...I'm so happy!"" Vince burst into another round of laughter.

"Mama, you've really gotta quit with the tears when you're happy – it's kinda confusin'." Matt grinned as the lady came over to him and CJ, pulling the pair into a tearful hug as everyone else gathered around to congratulate them.

"So when are they due?" Anne hugged CJ and kissed Matt on the cheek.

"September 24th." Matt had a huge smile on his face. "And they're boys, just so y'all know."

"Uh Uncle Matt, there's no way to tell that yet." Paul Novelli was looking intently at the ultrasound picture.

"I know they're boys." Matt looked at Roy and Michael, both of whom were with him when he was having visions about the explosion that was planned for the Twenty Nine Palms Marine Base.

"I don't care what they are." Roy hugged CJ.

"Now wait a minute…" Vince pulled out his phone and was doing some calculations. "Pay up, Michael."

"What?"

"I told you at Chris and Murray's wedding that she would be pregnant by the end of the year."

"Nope, that's not true, Vince." CJ spoke up.

"New Year's Eve, right? That's the last night of the year!"

The lawyer gave him a big smile. "Technically, it was New Year's Day." Everyone got quiet.

"Hey Vince?" Matt looked over at his friend.

"Yeah?"

"Don't argue with my lawyer – you'll lose every time." The group burst into laughter again.


End file.
